State of zoom issue

I'm a veteran player (I started with text-based MUDs!) and I've played tons of MMOs. This game offers such promise. But right now it's just not playable. The max zoom-out is not enough, I play on a laptop and other characters attack me before I'm even able to see them (I play max zoomed-out). Everything feels messy and random that way, it's difficult to even find a certain way because you don't even see where you are walking.

Of course I've searched this issue on the forums and found dozens of threads, which instead of helping me only confused me (different things said in different threads). An structured support section (q&a with votes for best responses, etc.) would be a step in the right direction.

For what I've understood there's a problem with performance if you zoom-out too much (number of elements rendered), but shouldn't we be able to choose that?.

Is this issue being addressed?, it's difficult to find an original MMO and this is, but being massacred before even being able to see the opponent is not fun. Yesterday I was killed by something/someone that cast me some kind of fire storm and I still don't know what/who it was because it wasn't even on-screen...

I find the zoom level to be totally fine when I am alone however when in a large party it's hard/impossible to even get all of the party members on one screen at the same time it's so small, it would be entirely possible to allow zoom level to scale via party size wouldn't it? sort of like loot/enemies are supposed to scale with party size? also the fact players endlessly create such threads doesn't indicate they're morons that can't read, it indicates they care strongly about this particular issue (even if they are wrong).

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Rhys wrote:

Path of Exile is not an MMO.

Performance is not the only reason for the current zoom level. And even if we made it an option, people would always use it at max zoom out anyway, even if their computers can't handle it and then they would complain about it.

Sorry, but we have no plans to allow further zoom out (in fact, it used to be even further in).

Thank you for taking the time to search the forums first and do some research into the matter, though.

I personally - as a Witch - find the zoom level to be very odd. I can cast Firestorm right off to the edge of where I can see, such that I can attack mobs that I can't even see at the sides and bottom of the screen (which I only know are there due to zombie swarm). That doesn't feel hardcore. It feels like an "oversight".

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Rhys wrote:

Path of Exile is not an MMO.

Performance is not the only reason for the current zoom level. And even if we made it an option, people would always use it at max zoom out anyway, even if their computers can't handle it and then they would complain about it.

Sorry, but we have no plans to allow further zoom out (in fact, it used to be even further in).

Thank you for taking the time to search the forums first and do some research into the matter, though.

That's a shame as it is too close. Just a little bit out further would make a huge difference. Heard many people say this even in other forums.

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Rhys wrote:

Path of Exile is not an MMO.

Performance is not the only reason for the current zoom level. And even if we made it an option, people would always use it at max zoom out anyway, even if their computers can't handle it and then they would complain about it.

Sorry, but we have no plans to allow further zoom out (in fact, it used to be even further in).

Thank you for taking the time to search the forums first and do some research into the matter, though.

So let;s put those other reasons to the side.
You say too many people would complain about lag rather then the game itself.


If people complain then simply say, "turn back off the recent resolution update".

If it was off by default then SURELY they would understand to turn to back off


The same goes for anything in a option menu of any game. If you turn something on then see a problem, you turn it back off.
I don't see what the big problem is here



Sorry but I see a drop in FPS for people to dumb to turn something back off is a over concern. I can, however, understand if the fear is increased server load and latency, but what you have suggested is a client side problem and can be dealt with

The same as with game balance, it can be dealt with

(which I personally don't see anyway to begin with, if something appears on the far corner of your now 10% - 20% wider view, the concern is "ranged players can now target them giving the class more potential" and "the game does not support targeting on things that far away"

then simply don't support it! leave it at that. At least we can now see them and blind fire which is something any bow user does anyway. Making lives a bit easier for some of us can't impose THAT much of a imbalance (which would then be re-balanced anyway if it was to much))


If there is something that can't be dealt with until improvements are made, like server load, then let's just say the problem is server load instead of something else?



Just to clarify what I mean by on and off is having a system where the default zoom is locked unless unlocked in the option menu. Which would in turn enable more to be rendered when 'unlocked'